Sing for me
by PetraS
Summary: The Junior Deputy had once sung in her local church when she was 19 years old. The memory was now distant and she could barely remember her voice after the tragic accident that had rendered her speechless. But someone hasn't forgotten. And he is going to do everything he can to make her sing again. Purely & simply Joseph/Female Deputy.
1. Chapter 1: To please

**Author's Note: I really can't keep calling The Junior Deputy - The Junior Deputy. It sounds silly and I hate Ubisoft for not giving a name to one of the important characters. So I have seen people in other fanfictions using the name Rook/Rookie, so that is simply what I am going to go ahead and do. I want to keep things as close as possible to canon so I am having to settle with Rookie. Thanks a ton for giving this a shot! :D**

 _Summary: The Junior Deputy had once sung in her local church when she was 19 years old. The memory was now distant and she could barely remember her voice after the tragic accident that had rendered her speechless. But someone hasn't forgotten. And he is going to do everything he can to make her sing again. Purely & simply Joseph/Female Deputy. _

Rookie had not always hated going to the church. There was a time when she would skip happily to the white building, hand in hand with her parents and then later when she was older, with little excitement, but more compliance. She didn't like conflicts and the idea of having an argument simply because she wasn't as enthusiastic as her parents to be attending Sunday mass was absolutely ridiculous. She respected her parents' strong belief, but her own had begun to falter for a long time now. But it wasn't something that she was going to confess to anyone.

And here she was once again, standing in front of the familiar white building as the clouds overhead protected the arriving worshippers from the heat. Rookie watched the familiar faces pass by her - some smiling and some blank as always. No doubt, she was the youngest member here - many of her "friends" would not even be awake yet, but here she was appeasing her parents. But today was a special day for her and her parents and they were clearly extremely excited about it. She eyed the thin woman with greying hair approach her, a large smile on her crinkly, tanned face.

"Rookie!" She reached her hands towards her own and clutched them gently. "Oh, Rookie. Papa and I are so happy that you are singing today! The ability to sing is a gift from God!" Her mother swayed their arms a little and Rookie smiled genuinely at the childlike happiness in her mother's eyes. They were never difficult to please and anything related to the church would be like Christmas coming early.

"Yes indeed, Rookie." Her father appeared from behind her, wrapping a thin arm around her shoulders and drawing her in slightly. He smelled like Earth, the smell of fresh tomatoes with a hint of sweat. He must have risen early to finish off his duties at the farm so he would have ample time to prepare for the church. He had been fidgety the night before asking her repeatedly to deliver the song till he had felt content that it was _perfect_. Rookie doubted anything could be perfect.

The doors opened and people rushed in like travelers who had been starved for days. Their eagerness and love for God always made Rookie felt guilty. She felt like a cheat who only ever crossed that threshold to please her kin. And today she was going to sing, but would her insincerity reflect from her voice? The thought had always worried her for the last 15 years, but she still carried on. It would be over soon.

"Come on Rookie! Hurry on!" Her father exclaimed, clutching her sweaty palm in his and using his other hand to hold the giant door open. Her mother rushed in first and then she was being ushered in. The church as always was not too bright with only sunlight seeping in through the stained glass. Many times the sight was ethereal - something out of this world that would leave her questioning herself. But she was never allowed to question - only to believe. And belief was not something so easy to give.

Minutes later, she stood at the choir and when hushed silence fell upon the large congregation, she opened her mouth and let the words escape. They floated across space and she met the eyes of her parents. They were _so_ happy. And for a second, she let herself believe that so was she.

 _Amazing Grace,_

 _How sweet the sound,_

 _That saved a wretch like me,_

 _I once was lost, but now am found;_

 _Was blind, but now I see._

And then the doors had opened and shots had been fired. The sublimity of the church faded as red blotches of blood splattered across the pews. On the marble floor, she saw the reflections of the horrified and pained faces as they fell with a dull thud. And upon those many faces, she saw the faces of her parents and a scream that she did not initiate had ripped from her throat. The darkness surrounded her before she had closed her eyes.

 **Author's Note: I apologize if something here seems amiss. I am not a Christian and I only know little about Sunday mass from what my Christian friends have told me. I have been using Google where the confusion arose, but if you find anything incorrect or strange, please let me know so I can change it. Once again, thanks so much for reading! :D**


	2. Chapter 2: To take

Stepping out of the helicopter, Deputy Rookie was consistently comforted by her colleagues. The Sheriff, Earl Whitehorse was someone she admired with great respect. His courage and patience to deal with difficult situations were comforting especially when everyone in this place seemed a little unstable. She met eyes with her coworker, Deputy Hudson and she reached forward, her hand patting her arm and quick encouragement escaping her lips. Rookie allowed a small smile to appear on her lips, but it dropped immediately as she began to hear the familiar chanting that still haunted her sleep.

 _Amazing Grace,_

 _How sweet the sound,_

 _That saved a wretch like me,_

 _I once was lost, but now am found;_

 _Was blind, but now I see._

Her eyes widened at the memory that filled her mind with images of blood and bodies and something in the environment seemed to shift too. The _peggies_ swore at them and their dogs barked at them with a warning each time any of them got too close to the fences. Rookie felt a shiver creep up, but she tensed at the Marshal's cold words instead. He was confident and did not appreciate any of them showing lack of eagerness towards arresting this supposed man - Joseph Seed. She did not wish to disappoint the Marshal - it could cause problems for the Sheriff, but right now every instinct in her system was screaming at her to run away from this place.

When the Sheriff opened the church door after a short argument with the Marshal, they stepped inside and Hudson passed by her telling her she was going to be fine. Rookie knew Hudson was kind inside out, but right now she doubted anything could calm her fraying nerves. This was such a bad idea and she could tell that the Sheriff agreed with her as he jerkily walked in front of her. He allowed his body language to remain relaxed despite the hostility that the peggies shot their way.

"Something is coming. You can feel it can't you?" Rookie turned to stare at the front of the church where a man stood in the shadows. The light streaming in from their customized cross cast his shadow long on the wooden floor. She remembered Slenderman - he too had a fascination with abducting people, specifically children. These peggies who believed anything this man would say were no less than children.

He continued speaking. "That we are creeping towards the edge. That there will be a reckoning." The Marshal strutted forward, confidently sizing up a peggie twice his size while the Sheriff lingered closer to her front blocking her view from the deranged men and women. Rookie felt appreciation for this small kind gesture, but more than the peggies - it was the voice of the man who spoke. His voice was ominous and held an edge of portent as he spoke about their future. He claimed that they would not let _them_ hurt them anymore. But the Rookie wondered who he referred to.

The Marshal had refused to listen to the Sheriff and all the peggies now stood in their way, protecting Joseph Seed. But the man showed absolutely no fear - he seemed aware of what was about to come as he ushered his followers to leave. Rookie felt all of them walk past her, some of them deliberately smashing their shoulders into hers and knocking her balance. She regained it quickly, however, and turned to see him stretch his hands out towards her.

"And Hell followed with him. God will not let you take me."

The Marshall turned to her. "Rookie, cuff this son of a bitch."

Fear and anxiety gripped her then. She turned to stare at the man who she was supposed to cuff and saw the same calamity brewing within its blue depths. She had seen it in her own eyes several times after the tragedy, but hers wasn't as volcanic as his seemed. Yet at the same time, his eyes were serene making her even more fearful of the unknown because he clearly seemed to possess the knowledge of it. The Marshal frustratedly urged her on and she momentarily escaped his hypnotic gaze.

"Put down your guns. Take your friends. And walk away." He whispered, drawing her gaze back to him. He had not moved - his eyes had not shifted. They bared into her soul as if he knew every source of fear that made her heart hollow. She wondered about what he saw in her eyes, but most importantly why her own body had frozen in fear in front of this man? Why couldn't she just do her job? The Marshal hissed at her in warning and her fingers that hung near her pocket twitched but did not move. All she had to do was remove the cuff and strap it on him. It could not be that hard, but something warned her to not move. The calamity in his eyes warned her to not arrest him.

"God is watching us. And He will judge you on what you choose in this moment . . ."

She wasn't a believer. The tragedy had not only ripped her voice off her but also her beliefs. She hadn't stepped inside a church in six years and the last time she had prayed was when she had opened her eyes to a paramedic staring down at her. She had prayed that her parents had a stroke of luck and had survived, but when she was told that she was the one who was _lucky_ to be the only survivor, it was the end. She had thrown away the remaining fragments of her beliefs and moved to a different neighborhood to start anew. God was no longer in the picture. Yet here she was taking his baseless warnings to heart. Her hands still wouldn't move and her eyes were still locked on his.

The Marshal then chose to address the Sheriff. The Sheriff told him to wait and Joseph Seed spoke for the last time, this time solidifying her decision to not arrest him. "Sometimes it's best to leave well enough alone."

The Sheriff moved his hands over Joseph's and lowered them and hence ending her view of the destruction she was about to invite upon herself. She could breathe again as she met eyes with her boss who began to lead her out. But her eyes flickered one last time to the man whose hands now wrapped deeper into the rosary. He still stood in the same place, staring at her - his eyes asking and answering questions. But this time they were tribulated. And as she turned, she wondered why he was disturbed when they were leaving him "well enough alone".

"What the fuck are you doing?" The Marshal cried, stepping in front of her and shoving her back with his hand. "I will have you both arrested!" She stepped back when the Sheriff sized up the Marshal. He reminded him that they wouldn't leave this place alive if they arrested him and the Marshal warned them again that he would arrest them. Rookie doubted she cared at this moment, begging silently that the Sheriff would leave this constricting place quicker. He seemed to have heard her silent wishes as he pushed open the church doors harshly and she sped walked behind him.

"Dear child! I have seen what you have desperately tried to hide! You have not spoken the words, but I have heard them!" The voice seemed to get closer as they walked away from the church almost as if he was following them. Rookie did not turn around to find out and instead chose to walk faster ignoring the footsteps that echoed behind her. She prayed it was the Marshal, but instead could feel his presence by her side, not behind her. Deputy Hudson turned shocked to see them, but even more horrified at what she saw behind them.

"Sheriff, Rookie! What's going on? Aren't we arresting him? And why is he following us?" Rookie walked faster at her words, capturing Hudson's firm arm in her hand and completely dragging her alone. The Sheriff seemed to agree with this approach as he was almost jogging along towards the helicopter, forcing the grumbling Marshal with him. He was being shoved into the seat and then Hudson was climbing on, her hand reaching for Rookie's.

"They come into our land and think they can take from us what we hold dear to us. But they also misguide those who wish to seek redemption. They try to keep them away from us." And a hand clamped hard on her shoulder, forcing her to lower her outstretched arm that was only a breath away from Hudson's. They were all screaming now, Hudson hurrying to get her gun from her holster and Sheriff warning her to put the gun away. The Marshal swore at him and proceeded to open fire, but not before the peggies were already shooting bullets at the chopper. Rookie felt her heart sink when Pratt ordered the pilot to take off and she rushed forward to meet Hudson's hand. The hand on her shoulder shifted down to her elbow and stayed there strong and restrictive.

"Rookie! Fuck, Pratt, you ass! Rookie's down there!" She heard Hudson yell loudly. Rookie tried again, shoving at the person behind her with the captured elbow, but he barely moved. Both Hudson and Sheriff were screaming at the pilot to descend despite the flying bullets, but the Marshall's voice froze her insides.

"She made her choice to not arrest him! This would have never happened! Now it's too late! Do not descend and if you care so much, then jump after her!"

And with that, the helicopter was flying away in the distance with Hudson's teary face and Sheriff's worried eyes the last thing she saw of them. She turned to see a peggie land in front of her and a large rock escaping his fingers. It hit her straight on the forehead and before she knew it, she was falling backward onto a soft body. Warm arms wrapped around her frighteningly and she closed her wide brown eyes to a pair of molten blue that crinkled with joy and lips that moved in a whisper.

"No one is coming to save you."

 **Author's Note:** **I kept it as canon for as long as I could, but this is a fanfiction so it has to stray off from the original at some point. I do not want the Rookie to follow the path of the game, because I genuinely believe that not arresting Joseph was the best ending of the game. If you haven't played it, then you should. Once again, thanks so much for reading! Have a great day! :D**


	3. Chapter 3: To show

When Rookie opened her brown eyes, she found herself leaning on someone's shoulder and the hard pew rough under her palms. The woman who had lent her shoulder to Rookie smelled alluring and some of her long hair brushed her own forehead. She remembered her own mother then - a woman with long golden hair that would brush her cheeks when Rookie would lay her head in her lap. She would reach up to play with it, but then her mother had cut her hair short and so Rookie had stopped this little hobby of hers and thus ended the little time she spent with her mother.

"Forget everything you know, for everything you know will be destroyed."

Rookie's eyes widened when she heard the familiar voice that had snatched her away from her kin. The same voice had offered to let she and her friends walk away but then proceeded to backstab them by holding her back. The voice of the person who claimed to hear The Voice. When Rookie had opened his file at her old desk with the Sheriff smoking his cigar in the corner of the office, she had never expected that this same man was the crazy, megalomaniac who claimed to hear voices. This man was sympathetic and extremely charming. And as for being a megalomaniac, he seemed to step down from his throne more often than the two men who stood behind him.

"And brothers and sisters! The Voice spoke to me that afternoon when my father had become lost and deceived in his world of lies and temptations! The Voice told me of the nearing end and of the wrath that will surely be delivered! Come now and join me in a prayer to worship the One who has set us all free." The men and women who sat around her fell to their knees, their hands joining together and murmured whispers spreading across the messy room. Rookie stared, frozen in her skewed position and only felt herself snap from the haze when the woman who she leaned on also moved her hands in prayer.

This was her chance! While all of them were engaged in prayer, she could sneak out of this church and run away from here. She would have to crawl from under the pews, but luckily for her, she was only two seats from the back. And if this strange woman dressed in white didn't notice her movement when she lifted her head, then how would anyone else? Something in her told her to fight for her life, but on the other hand, a part of her wanted to pretend to be unconscious so she could escape this crazy place. Even if Sheriff and Hudson weren't here, she knew they would never give up on her. And so, she couldn't give up without trying.

Keeping a vigilant eye on the three men who had their heads bowed and at the woman who kept her eyes closed, Rookie dived under the pew and began to crawl. Instantly, she saw a pair of muddy boots blocking her path and was forced to change direction. She lunged under the pew, hitting her head against the wood with enough impact where she had to lay still while white patches appeared in front of her eyes. She noted how the man with the muddy boots looked up from his prayer, confused, but went back to praying when he saw nothing. She allowed herself to sigh lightly and then held her breath again as she approached the last pew.

Unlike the previous two, this one was relatively easy. No one occupied the last pew or the adjacent one. She was clear - but now the question hung on how she should exit. There were the door and an opened window. And then there were those floorboards that had creaked when she had first entered this room to arrest this man - now that everyone was silent, they would surely hear her. After much debate, she decided that the window was her only chance and crawled towards it with an urgency. Casting a glance behind her, she was reassured by their dropped heads and folded hands and so she tugged at the window's hatch. It creaked gently, before turning and she pushed the glass to the side.

Rookie allowed a small smile to appear on her lips and she climbed the window sill and soundlessly jumped onto the grass outside. Her vision blurred again and she clutched at her head while pushing her feet to move. And then cold metal stroked her forehead. Her heart dropped into the pits of her stomach and she willed herself to face a man with a ginger beard, grinning maliciously down at her.

"Hello, Little Lamb." He whispered and then grabbing her by the arm. She struggled, pushing at his chest and hands, but he was as she expected him to be much stronger than her. She ran her own free hand down her holster and found it empty. They had taken her weapons! Even the ones she had hidden in her trousers as the Sheriff had ordered them to. Her cheeks flared red at the imagery of a strange man stripping her naked and she frowned in displeasure. They were all scumbags - so much for religion, they were nothing, but criminals. She eyed the herd of men and women who stared at her with fascination as the ginger lead her to The Father.

The man stood with his arms outstretched like the last time - his palms extended towards her. His eyes were kind this time - the calamity was long gone and he seemed at peace with himself. Rookie wondered how he slept at night knowing people he influenced were killing others and stealing land and resources. She refused to walk towards him and landed a hard kick back to the man who kept her caged in his arms. He did not even grunt.

"Dear child! Why are you so frightened?" The Father asked, choosing to step towards her instead. His hands neared her face and Rookie moved her head back into the hard chest. What an unfavourable situation she had ended up in and yet this man had the audacity to ask why she was frightened. She cringed when his cold hands made contact with her cold cheeks. "I have never hurt anyone - even those who have taken much from me."

She glared at him fiercely and felt anger simmering underneath her. If only she could speak - she would swear at him multiple times and tell him to go fuck himself. But she couldn't even do that - and if this crazy cult was to find out, they would only use this to their own advantage. She involuntarily shuddered and this action was caught by their leader.

He frowned perfectly allowing concern to emulate from him, but she knew it was all a lie. This man was smart and he faked empathy to receive it back. "Child, you are scared of me. Of us. And yes, I admit I may have tricked you earlier, but the cruel words spoken by the man you call Marshal made me worry."

He drew back from her, his palms leaving an unwanted lingering warmth that she involuntarily craved more of. "My dear children, this woman here is an involuntary believer! The world has held her back from us, but I saw the turmoil in her eyes as her hands rested on the handcuffs. I saw the _calamity_..." Rookie felt her breath hitch at the word. "...in her eyes when she began to walk away from us! It was clear to me that this was a child who wanted to come to us, but could not speak for it!" She bit her tongue in fury. The bastard was good. And maybe he understood the whole situation too well.

The crowd sniffled in pity at her and she had an overwhelming urge to just shoot their Father in the head in return. The thought made her struggle against the constraints again before the young woman on who she rested on skipped happily towards her. The lace white dress fluttered with her movements and she landed in front of her with such elegance that Rookie was mesmerised by her completely.

"Father, I see it too. The pain and longing in her eyes..." Her hand trailed the side of her cheek and Rookie moved away from her a little too late. She smiled at this. "...Faith. It's what we all need. Find the same Faith that held you back from taking our dear Father away from us. You resisted and stood by the Truth in the face of evil! Now we will protect you."

A well dressed man with an eloquent speech finished the circle of mad heralds that surrounded her. He played with his key turned necklace before gripping her cheek firmly, his eyes dark with sadistic secrets. "Just say Yes. Say Yes to a new path of life. To a life filled with truth and no more suffering. To joy and _absolution_. Say Yes to Eden's Gate. SAY YES TO THE FATHER!" He cried dramatically, his voice rising and with it the desire to kill.

Behind them a crowd of madmen erupted with joy and Rookie felt claustrophobia arise from within her. She wanted to leave before they warped her mind into believing their never ending lies. But more than that she truly feared for her safety. The look in Joseph's eyes was particularly frightening - he looked at her as if she was _his._


	4. Chapter 4: To seek

_I once was a child with innocent eyes,_

 _And my family swore,_

 _They knew best for my life._

 _I followed their rules as I played with my friends,_

 _But when it came to the world;_

 _I never thought it would end._

The hollow sound infiltrated the small hut and roused Rookie from her deep slumber. Surprisingly, she had slept rather well, but now awaking to a song that rang too close to home made her head hurt. This place was bad news - brought back bad memories and she hated these lunatics for it. Not only were they manipulative, but also disgusting liars - how could they have done this to her? Why wasn't the Sheriff back with the National Guard yet? Hudson, she missed Hudson's kind words and Pratt's dry sense of humour. She disliked the Marshal, but hell if he was here she would embrace him too.

"Such conflicted eyes. . ." A melodious voice drawled out, making her jerk from her vulnerable position into a sitting one. Joseph Seed or The Father as they called him smiled serenely at her. His tinted glasses were gone and so was her view from his frightening abdomen - he now donned a white buttoned shirt, the sleeves rolled to his elbows and a distinct tattoo that she had never seen before looked dark on his tanned forearm. At her lingering gaze, he stroked it with his long fingers and sad eyes.

"She had conflicted eyes too - oh, she was sad. Very _sad_." She did not like the emphasis he put on the word and so she slowly began to shift towards the other end of the bed. The door was only inches away, although there was no way she was going to make it out of here without being caught. Still, she'd rather be caught and drugged into another long slumber than to sit here in this lunatic's company. As if sensing her discomfort, his ocean blue eyes connected with her own. "Her eyes were just like yours . . . sad and conflicted. Yes . . . you remind me of her."

Rookie ignored the tension that spread in the room at his words or the silence that came from outside. Instead, she chose to look around the room hoping to see a decent weapon in which she could immobilise him with. Then she would run off and hide till someone came back for her. But she couldn't do this alone - the Sheriff . . . where was he?

"Your friends are our guests."

Fear and hopelessness gripped her core then as she slowly turned to look at him again. His blue eyes were no longer reminiscent, but instead glimmering with joy - had he killed her friends?

"The helicopter crashed unfortunately. Of course, your friends are fine - John is very pleased with your fierce female friend. Faith is helping your reasonably minded Sheriff see the error of his ways and Jacob . . . well, Jacob is keeping your coward male friend alive, I suppose. As for the Marshal, he is dead." He ended his statement with a blinding smile just as Rookie's throat constricted and her brown eyes pooled with tears. The Marshal was dead? Her friends were captured - she was here with a madman and everything had ended. They would be put down in the Missing list and in a few months, people would stop looking.

The Father watched as the mute deputy struggled to make sense of the situation. He almost felt pity for the wayward child, but surely some time in his company would make her see the error of her ways. In truth, he was nervous. Meeting eyes with this deputy in a moment that would forever remain imprinted on his mind, he had seen himself. In this place where everyone admired and followed his messages, he often felt forgotten. The Voice had made him a prophet, but had also completely isolated him. His own brethren looked at him as if he was divine, but no one truly saw Joseph Seed. Except maybe this Deputy . . .

He wondered if The Voice had misguided him - Hell could not have followed with _him_. Or rather her, he should say. She did not feel like Hell at all, in fact he had sat by her for two hours watching her sleep and he had felt a deep connection with her. It was the first time he had found a strange patience within himself - to wait for her to come to him on her own and the idea of drugging her to bend to his will much rather disgusted him. He would have to speak to Faith about keeping her drugs away from his precious _one_.

When he saw her shoulders shake, The Father felt anger arise within him. "You cry for a monster who would happily threaten you and yet you refuse to even _look_ at the man who has saved you and your friends! What was I to do? Let you walk away with evil hand in hand and-!"

"Father!" A melodious voice interrupted, the sound of the wooden door slamming against the hut startling the deputy. She did not raise her head to look at the intruder for she knew it was the loony girl with the white dress. "I bring the enlightened one her dinner!"

Rookie blanched at the name, however her anxiety calmed a little at the mention of dinner. She only hoped it was drugged so that she could drift into slumber away from this new reality.

The Father sighed and she felt him shift. "My dear Faith, has this dinner been blessed by you?" The deputy's breath hitched at his question, but she sighed slightly in disappointment when the girl answered back.

The girl chuckled in response. "No, not yet, Father. If you want, I shall . . ."

"No, dear one. I and the enlightened one shall dine together today. If you do not mind fetching another serving for me that is."

The Father watched as Faith hurriedly placed the plate down before disappearing from the door. His dear Faith, the obedient one who had lost so much in life, yet she had never lost her faith. She was so dear to him yet here in the presence of this lost soul, he had barely paid her any mind. In fact, her presence had greatly irritated him - he did not appreciate Faith's rather perfect timing at interrupting him. He _despised_ being interrupted. But the sight of the still deputy, her head buried in her arms reminded him of what he despised even more. Ignored.

"Eat, my dear deputy. Faith brings glad tidings and friendship in the form of food. It will be terrible of you to refuse." The Sunday roast dinner smelled heavenly and The Father sent a silent thanks to his Lord above for the blessings He had sent his way. The Voice, finding and reuniting with his brothers, Faith, Hope County and even to an extent, this strange being that sat before him who had believed before he had preached. He was so blessed and so were his children - they would all be safe from the end that was inevitably approaching.

"You will not eat, child?" He asked gently when he did not see her face behind the curtain of her brown locks. Brown . . . such a dirty colour, yet so pure and earthly. Nature's touch. She made no indication to respond and he sighed impatiently. "You do try my patience . . . and not many have in the last few years. But I am a patient man, deputy. I will not allow you to force me to sin. My fellow brethren, however, do not share my enthusiasm for avoiding such immoral acts. Which does remind me, John is undergoing his fifth cleansing session tomorrow and I feel that you too should be purified of your sins."

"Father!" The interruption came again before Rookie could even make sense of his words. "I bring you-! Oh! What is this? Enlightened one didn't like it?" The sadness practically dripped from her words and the young deputy wondered how it was possible for anyone to sound so grievous over a rejected dinner. Sheriff's words rang through her mind then - _They are a manipulative bunch and have betrayed many with their sob stories._

"Let your heart not be sad, my faithful one. It is a trying day for this lamb and we must give her time to . . . _adapt_ to our ways. Indeed, we must not give up on our new flock who come to us seeking redemption."

Faith drawled her words out as if she had entered a world of bliss from his words alone. "Yes . . . heavenly Father."

It was then Rookie heard a screech of metal and the sound of rustling clothes. She prayed to anyone who was above that he would simply leave her be and surprisingly it was exactly as she wished. His footsteps began to fade and she heard the springs in the handle as it turned. The sound of gentle humming was the first to fade and Rookie knew that the girl had gone, but he was still here in the room with her. The smell of the Sunday roast was still prominent and she longed to sink her teeth into the new potatoes - hell she'd eat anything, but never with him.

"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh. A seal has been opened - The Voice . . . it promised me. I lost my dear brothers and they were returned. I lost my faith and it was returned. I lost my home and it was . . . returned in the form of this beautiful Hope County. I lost my child and I now have so many that I cannot keep count." At this he chuckled drily and the sound stunned the deputy for a second. "And then my wife. I wonder if she too has been returned. . ."

The door opened and a gust of wind swept in the room leaving the Rookie feeling cold. But it was his words that had swept an icy dread over her heart. She had to get the hell out of here. And fast.


End file.
